In Ashes (2020, Norway) by Kjetil Engh Aasen

Kjetil Engh Aasen’s In Ashes Joins the Auteur Cinema Archive

The Auteur Cinema Archive is proud to announce the inclusion of In Ashes (Askedager, Norway) by Kjetil Engh Aasen, a devastatingly quiet and emotionally precise debut that tackles the collapse of a family under the weight of suspicion—with a level of restraint and psychological insight rarely seen in contemporary cinema.

Set in a small Norwegian community, the film follows Inger and her son Jonas after their husband and father becomes the prime suspect in an investigation involving crimes against children. Without sensationalism or moral prescription, Aasen leads the viewer into the emotional aftermath—not of the crime itself, but of the silence that follows. How does one grieve, doubt, and still attempt to love in the shadow of something unspeakable?

With stark cinematography, frugal yet luminous performances, and a narrative stripped to its essence, In Ashes chooses suggestion over exposition, glances over monologues, and ambiguity over resolution. It’s a film that trusts its audience, giving space for reflection rather than demanding reaction. And in doing so, it achieves a rare and haunting intimacy.

Curator Kris De Meester on the inclusion:
"In Ashes is a revelation in restraint. Kjetil Engh Aasen manages to portray an emotionally volatile subject with such extraordinary directorial control, it becomes more powerful in its silences than most films do in their loudest moments. He allows pain, doubt, and moral confusion to simply exist—without resolving them, without judging them. This is what auteur cinema can do at its most courageous."

A jury member of the 2021 Brussels Independent Film Festival, Kris Dewitte, praised the film for “bringing a delicate story to the essence… without any real action or explaining.” He added, “Even the story tells a lot, it keeps a lot open for the viewer but not being left behind for interpretation… The lack of taking sides or being judgmental brings the film to a level not seen before.”

Kjetil Engh Aasen, born in 1991 and holding a degree in psychology, merges his academic background with his passion for cinema to explore the unspoken corners of human relationships. In Ashes, his debut feature, draws on the psychological subtlety of directors like Haneke, Granik, and Lonergan, but emerges with a voice distinctly his own.

Following its official selection at the 2021 Brussels Independent Film Festival and a win at the 2020 Verona International Film Festival, In Ashes continues to resonate as one of the most poignant Nordic films in recent memory. Its inclusion in the Auteur Cinema Archive affirms not only its formal excellence but its ethical and emotional integrity.

In a time when cinema often demands immediacy and resolution, In Ashes dares to sit with discomfort. It is a film not just to be watched—but to be quietly, deeply felt.